Good Friday Lessons

"Can you spend time with Jesus, in a special way?"

This Lenten season I went to Confession and was given a penance that I wasn't sure how I would be able to fulfill.  The priest said to me, "As your penance, Can you spend time with Jesus in a special way on Good Friday."  Me being a person of "letter of the law" (only when it comes to God) instead of "spirit of the law" asked the priest what he meant by that.  He told me how I chose to do this was up to me and that I would have to figure out how to do that.  

Knowing I was planning on driving to my brother and sister-in-law's house (about a 4 1/2 hour drive) for the Easter weekend I wasn't sure I would be able to do anything special for Jesus that day.  I prayed about what I could do in order to fulfill this penance knowing it was especially important because this was Lent after all and it was going to be Good Friday!  How can I say no to God on Good Friday?  I didn't really come up with any answers because I do a daily Rosary already and I wouldn't have time to sit in front of a tabernacle before I left or after I got there I decided I would just depend on Him to provide me with an answer.  I really should know better than to pray this way.  He always takes it a step too far and I know this, but it is always out of love and in the end it is always what I need.  

As I left home I pulled into a gas station to fill up.  As I stood there waiting for the car to get full I talked with my faithful road trip companion (Gracie, my dog) for a few moments.  I looked back at the gas pump and saw that only $1 something had gone into the tank.  I asked the man beside me if the pump was slow or if it was just mine.  He affirmed my suspicions that it was indeed going slow. It took me 20 minutes to fill up!  (Maybe God is telling me to slow down and take time for Him.)  So I began my Rosary.  Not too far into Missouri (and 2 hours after I had left home and still 3 hours from my brother's)  my car overheated and I found myself stranded on the side of the road.  Let me explain that I am not a person that asks for help and I also do not accept it very often, but I am learning.  I did something though that I don't normally do, I text both my sister-in-law and my best friend to let them know I was stranded.  I moved my car to a nearby gas station and both best friend and my brother called to help me figure out a solution. Unfortunately ended my road trip and Easter with my family. 

As I sat at the gas station waiting to go back home I began to complain to God (as I often do) this was not how I wanted to spend my Easter.  This was not how I wanted to spend my Good Friday!  I had plans, I had just moved 3 states away from most of my family and this was the first Easter I would be away from my dad and sister and larger family!  This was so not fair!  Then it dawned on me, I bet Jesus didn't want to spend His Good Friday the way He did either.  I bet He wanted to be with His mom and disciples.  He probably didn't think it was unfair, but I bet He was sad too and maybe a little disappointed. Instead of being upset I just laughed because He always shows me a way to appreciate what I do have.  I have a best friend and her family nearby who put their plans on pause to help me.  I have an amazing little niece who had her mommy text me later to say, "tell Aunt Holly that we can have another Easter next time she visits" and that she will pray for me and my car in her evening prayers.

I know life is hard, I know it all too well.  It isn't going as I planned and perhaps I'm not even sticking to His plan very well.  But I know that He will find a way for me to spend some "special" time with Him if I am open to it.  And I need to remember that I can always, with His Grace, have another Easter!